Ash

[Kosmonauts]

Hello,

I have a bunch of green ash that will most likely be ready to burn in a month or two. I have heard a lot of mixed opinions regarding ash and how people love and hate it. I have little experience with ash and the only thing I have noticed is that the MC drops faster than most other hardwoods. I have also heard that if ash sits for to long it gets "spongey."

What's your opinion regarding ash?

 

[tigeroak]

I am burning 2 year split and stacked and burns great, stove top and sides over 600 degree. You will be better off letting it dry for at least 1 year but I would give it at least no less than 2. I know where a truck load in a guys yard is, setting on the ground and it is perfect for being on the ground and been there for 3 years. Now next year may be another story. I have some to burn in 2019 in a rack.

 

[NordicSplitter]

Fabulous wood to burn. MLB still uses it to make baseball bats. That should tell you how hard it is. Enjoy

 

[Montanalocal]

I get a load or two of Green Ash every year from tree trimmers for overnight burning. We do not have any native hardwoods in my area of central Montana, but almost every town and city here has planted Green Ash for their boulevard trees.

I have seen areas where tree trimmers have dumped old rounds that are laying on the ground and have turned completely black. I have taken some of them home and they are hard as a rock and completely sound.

 

[Kosmonauts]

Wow thanks guys!! Sounds great I have it sitting on my wood rack seasoning!

 

[jatoxico]

Only had a very little bit but I can't see that it would punk unless your storage was poor. Stacked off the ground and kept free of leaf litter and debris it should be fine.

 

[Stinkpickle]

When you say "green", do you mean unseasoned or the specific type of ash? Either way, season it for two years and keep it off the ground. It's awesome stuff...I'm burning it right now.

 

[Montanalocal]

It is a specific species of Ash. Green ash =(Fraxinus pennsylvanica)

 

[FaithfulWoodsman]

Great all around wood. Decent btu's, splits easy, moderate ash and coals well. As long as its not left for year and years uncovered it stays good. I burn a ton of it.

 

[LocustPocust]

Ash is great wood. Easy to cut, easy to split, dries fast, smells good when it burns, good BTUs. It need to be under cover though as it tends to get punky quick.

 

[mike van]

Only drawback to it I found was the amount of 'ash' left in the stove after burning - Maybe thats how it got its name, ash ?

 

[Kosmonauts]

Ok thanks so much you all! Yes I live in PA so green ash is abundant. So I'm gathering season for 1.5 to 2 years for optimum performance and it's a great hardwood! Really been liking the red oak and black cherry and I am about to drop a locust. I also hear that locust is a mighty fine wood...

 

[mike van]

Today I was working on a pile of locust logs, trees I cut down in '09. Even the small diameter stuff, like banging 2 pieces of pipe together. Years back all we had was 'chipper' chain, it would just about bounce off real hard locust. Timber frame barns used locust for the pegs & sills, word was it would last 2 years longer than stone............

 

[jatoxico]

Years back all we had was 'chipper' chain, it would just about bounce off real hard locust. Timber frame barns used locust for the pegs & sills, word was it would last 2 years longer than stone............

I agree, pretty tough on chains. Friend of mine owns a house whose foundation/sill is locust laid on the ground. Was common apparently. Lasted for years and years.

 

[Applesister]

How did Ash get its name?

 

[Oldman47]

Have you ever noticed that the handles on axes, shovels etc. are either ash or hickory? As long as you keep them dry you can hand those tools off to your grandkids. To lose ash to rot you need to ignore storage and leave the wood wet for a long time.

 

[Pennsyltucky Chris]

People hate Ash? They should be committed.

Ash is my favorite wood. Nice BTU output, fairly light weight to process, and dries in a year.

 

[S Roche]

Green ash is our most common tree here. I have some that has been stacked off the ground covered for 4 yrs. and all is OK. Excellent firewood.

 

[Firefighter938]

For overall firewood ash is hard to beat. I don't think green ash has as many btu's as white ash, but it is still very good wood.

 

[Montanalocal]

Since this is a Green Ash thread, it is a good place to post this story.

A few days ago I spotted a tree service removing a planted live Green Ash tree. I stopped to ask if the wood was spoken for, and wound up taking all the big pieces home.

As I was splitting, I decided to do a moisture test, and to my surprise the readings were in the 17 to 19 percent area. I then decided to do a burn test, and that night threw a split in on top of a good coaling piece of pine, which I normally do for overnight burns. Again to my surprise it caught and burned very well.

I do not know if this is just particular to this one tree, but it definitely was a live growing tree. I will still probably dry this and other fresh Green Ash for next year, as I have plenty one year old Ash for the rest of this season, but it is nice to know there is at least the possibility of burning it in a pinch. In the picture below the Ash is the front split.

 

[Wood Duck]

Mixed reviews of Ash? Who doesn't like Ash?

 

[Jay106n]

I love ash. Lots of it around here in CT, some of it beginning to die off which is a shame. It burns hot, lasts long, coals up great. My #2 next to oak. I've got some dry and a couple cords of it that is not quite fully seasoned. Not sure yet if I will be dipping into it or not, but I know it will burn decently either way if needed. Can't say that about any other wood species.

 

[firefighterjake]

Not sure who you were talking about since ash is pretty much universally loved by most wood burners . . . splits like a dream typically, seasons quicker than most other woods (but it's worth giving it a year or two before using for maximum heat benefit) and is just an all-around, solid wood to burn when it comes to the BTUs. I think of ash as that one player on a sports team who doesn't get the press or make the big plays, but is always there day in and day out, pulling his share and doing a fantastic job.

 

[heavy hammer]

Ash is a fantastic wood. With that little bug going around killing all those awesome trees. There is going to be a lot of firewood for those who want it. All the ash in my neighborhood seem to be on there way out I got couple of them last year can't wait to burn in the next year or to. Hope to get a few more. Like oldman47 said the wood will last forever just keep dry.

 

[Kosmonauts]

thank you guys for all the answers! Learning a lot here!